TASEK PAUH blogspot

Israel urges world to shun Palestinian unity government

March 18 - After several months of fierce battles between members and supporters of Hamas, and the former ruling party Fatah, that claimed the lives of over 140, Palestinians announced yesterday installing a new government, hoping the new coalition will manage end the international aid cut that was prompted by Hamas victory last year.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert called on the international community to join Israel in shunning the new government, calling its platform "very problematic."

"We will not be able to pursue contacts with the government or its members," Olmert told the cabinet. "We expect that the international community will not be misled by the creation of the coalition government."

The new government was approved by a 83 to 3 to vote, with forty-one of the legislature's 132 members, most of them Hamas members held in Israeli jails, not participating in the vote.

And after the Parliament historic session, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas swore in the new 25-member Cabinet.

On the other hand, the United States reacted with caution to the new Palestinian alliance, which replaced the anti-Israel government led by the Islamic Hamas, which has persistently refused to recognise Israel.

Washington criticised the initial policy speech by PM Ismail Haniya, describing it as disappointing.

In his speech, Mr Haniya said: "The government affirms that resistance in all its forms, including popular resistance to occupation, is a legitimate right of the Palestinian people.

"Our people have the right to defend themselves from continuous Israeli aggression."

In response to the news, Norway announced its recognition to the new gov. and said it would lift aid embargo, whereas Britain and the UN stopped short at explicitly promising that the aid would be lifted, saying that money would start flowing again only if the new alliance managed to control anti-Israel attacks.

Analysts however warned that there’s a possibility that the new Hamas-Fatah alliance would quickly fail over ideological differences as well as long-standing enmities between the two parties.

Syria praised and pledged full support to the new government.

"Damascus demands the lifting of the embargo imposed on the Palestinian people," by the West, a statement in state news agency Sana read.

Palestinian Finance Minister Salam Fayyad warned that the new alliance won’t survive for long unless the international community ended its aid boycott and increased assistance.

"We do face a very serious and crippling financial crisis," he said. "Without the help of the international community, it is not going to be possible for us to sustain our operations." - AJP and agencies

Labels: Israel, Luar Negeri, Palestin